Braking means for perforated music rolls



w. A. WATSON AND w. EUSTIS.

BRAKING MEANS FOR PERFORATED MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED 00113. 1919.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

I N V EN TORS A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM A. WATSON, OF MALDEN, AND WARNER EUSTIS, OF N SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO J. I. EUSTIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT OFFEQE.

.eEvJTON, MASSACHU- OF CAMBRIDGE,

BRAKING MEANS FOR PERFORATED MUSIC ROLLS.

-- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed October 3, 1919. Serial No. 328,304.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. VAT- SON and WAnNnR Eusrrs, both citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Maiden and Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braking Means for Perforated Music Rolls, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to braking means for perforated music rolls, and one of the objects of the invention isto provide braking means to contact with the surface of the rolled music sheet in such way as to produce a decreasing braking action while the music sheet is being unwound in playing, and to produce a less braking action when the music sheet is travelling in a reverse direction in rewinding it. Another object of the invention is to provide a. gravitating brake which acts the more strongly the further it is moved away from a vertical position. Other objects are to provide a practical and efficient brake for acting upon a perforated music sheet, both when it is moved in the playing direction, and in the rewinding direction.

These being among the objects of the pres ent invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference to the accompanyin drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation, the parts being broken away, of a spool-box or a trackerboxof a player musical instrument withthe invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, showing the brake in action; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view enlarged, but parts being broken away andparts in elevation, said view showing more clearly the action of the brake. I

Referring to the'drawings,the spool-box or tracker-box 10, may be of any suitable construction, carrying the tracker 11, provided with suitable mountings for the spools 12 and 14: of the perforated sheet of music,

which spools are supported in a well-known manner by means of rotary carriers or shafts 13 and 15, said carriers being located so as to rotate said spools. The lower spool 14 constitutes the take-up spool in playing a piece of music which is perforated on the sheet carried by the removable spool 12, which then constitutes a let-off spool. As is well known the spool 14 constitutes the let-01f spool and the removable spool 12, constitutes the take-up spool in rewinding after a p1ece of music has been performed.

A frictlon-shoe 16, is adapted to contact with the surface of the sheet of music which is rolled upon the spool or roll 12, and said shoe is carried by a member 17, which is preferably pivotally hung from the upper endof the box 10, by means of brackets 18, one at each end of said member 17, and which brackets receive movable pivots 19. Preferably the pivoted or gravitating member 17 is formed from the upper half of the back of the spool-box, so that the member 17 serves two functions. The friction-shoe 16, is located at about the middle of the vertical dimension of the member 17 and extends substantially parallel with the length (if the spool 12, but is short enough so that it may move into the space between the flanges of said spool.

That edge of the shoe 16 which bears upon the rolled web or sheet of music is preferably rounded at 20, so as to move smoothly over the surface of the roll, and

In order that the member 17 if not itself 2 heavy enough, may be so heavy as to exert the necessary pressure of the shoe 16 upon the music sheet, the lower end of said member 17 carries a weight 21. The brackets 18, at the upper end of the swinging or pivoted member 17, are provided with a series of holes 22, which extend in a direction substantially at right angles to the plane of the member 17, said. holes being adapted to receive the pivot-pins 19, which pins are removable from one set of coinciding holes, and may be engaged in another set of coinciding holes, said pins being screw-threaded at their inner ends to screw into the box 10, or the said box may be provided with complementary holes. The holes 22 and the adjustable pins 19, enable the pivotpoints for the member 17 to be changed, so that the weight will exert more or less pressure of the shoe 16 on the roll of music, de-

pending upon theposition of said pins. It will be noted that the construction shown will not permit the member 17 to moVe-iurj ther than to avertical positioinand such a construction is preferable. V

In Fig. 3 there is indicated by the broken line .1), the direction of thrust or pressure of the frictionshoe 16, upon the roll of sheet. music which is on the spool 12, and it will "be noticed that the pressure is exerted on a 11ne which extends substantially along achord of the circular cross-section of the spool, or to one sideof the longltudinal center .ofthe spool 12, and between said center and the spool 14. The reason for this direction of pressure is that when the web .or sheet of music is being unwound from the spool 12'in'p1aying, there is a tendency to impart a greater friction or braking effect than when-the 'oll is being rewound in opposite direction fromtheroll.14. It will also be noted that whena largewroll is placed upon the ;rotary carrier or spindle 13,,that the member 17 and, its weight will :be. pushed farjba'ck, and the further the same are pushed back towards a'horizontal position,

b the more strongly will-,thefriction-shoe act upon {the perforatedsheetg of music being unwound in playing. As .thefoll is played and: diminishes in' size,-the braking tefi ect becomes gradually less, so that, at-thesbe- I ginning; ofagtune there isafstrong braking efi'ectfandat:thelend there is a lighterione. The resultis that whenithe perforated web is wound hard upon the spool 1am; the beginning, and lighter towardithe en'd, diminishinglighter, the. suction across the tracker-bar 11,:will not cafuseirthe web or sheet on the'lower spool to slip with a jerk and wind up harder when is being played. V

The shoe l6 and'th'e member 17 of the brake, as shown, are supposed-tube of wood,

a loud passage but it is obvious that, properly constructed, the s'aidp'a'rts may. beqof metal, 'butineither case the friction-surface 20 of the shoe should be polished smoothlyrso as not etc injure or tear theperforated sheet.

{:It will be obvious to {thoseskilled in the art that 'the construction shown ;and ;de-

' scribed is susceptible ,of considerable modification, without departing from the scope of the claims, as,- -for example, {the-back off the spool-1 0 migh be station ry, and the action being held against movement lat erally of the said direction in whichlitwaots.

2. In braking means for perforated musio rolls, the combination with a support lpro-' vided with parallel, rotary carriers, each adapted to act as a'leteofi and a take' up carrier, of a two-way brake pendently hung from said support and havingairictionshoe located'in juxtaposition to that one of *saidcarriers which constitutes a let-off in playing thefinusic, and positioned to act between the axes of said, carriers, upon and towards the music roll on "saldjuxtaposed carrier, substantially along a :chord of the circular cross-,sectionofthe said roll, said brake being arranged behlnd said carriers,

and thQpOlIll/ffIOIIl which saidbrake is hung being located above the 111xtaposedcarr1er,

I In braking means for perforated music rolls, the combinationwith supportand a 1nusic-roll mounted rotatably thereon, of a brake hating a friction-shoe constructed and arranged to act direc-tlyjon the surface of the web of the music-roll-witha greater braking effect when the perforated'webxis moving forward in-playingthan when said web is being rewound, said shoebeingo-held 7 against movement laterally of'the direction of itssaid'ac-tion; 1 j

4.;In braking means for perforatedinusic rolls,,th,e combination of a'pair'ofrotatably V iipported carriers, a ,music roll on'one of saidcarriers, which ffor'ms-aletpfi' carrier in playing, WilllGl the other then ,forms' a take up carrier 'for: the web of music, and a gravitating brake pivotallyihung above the said let-off carrier, having .a 'friction shoe arranged behind'said let-01f carrierandjpo sitioned-to act on the surface of said'lroll with a decreasingbrakinggaction-while the roll is being unwound, andto-iact ;onv said roll with a less braking-action when the web .ofmusioismoving in a reverse direction in rewinding.

5. In bralnngrneansiforvperforated music rolls, the combination of :a-box forming a support, a pair of carriers 'supprortedyrota and -;a :gravitating brake pivotallyshung tably, one above the otheninsaid box, the.

music-roll supported on one :ofrsaid carriers,

from said boX at apoint above ;the*upp e'r carrier, and,;a-t; its lowerienchihaving a'fric tion-shoe arranged behindsaid :narriers in a position t0;act forwardly ainiaa'idirection between the axes of said carriersiloutaadja upper carrier constitutes alet-ofliand the lower "carrier a take-up, the" :said ishoe :will bear on said roll with a gradually-{decreasing: braking effect, but "with a greaterzbraksti-tutes 'a let-off and the upper carrier "2. take-up. .7 1 i 6; In braking ineansgforrperforated music rollsfthe combination with a'rota-ryinusi i cent'the -upp'e r carrier, whereby, twhen'the use 1 2 5 mg effect ithan'whenrthe zlower carrier' :o'onroll carrier, of a pivotally-hung brake having a friction-shoe positioned to act substantially along a chord of the roll on said carrier and being independent of the rotary motion of said carrier excepting for its movement in the direction of its said action.

7. In braking means for perforatedmusic rolls, the combination with a support and a music roll mounted rotatably thereon, of a brake having a friction-shoe constructed and arranged to act on the surface of the musicroll on a line to one side of the axis of said roll with a gradually diminishing efiicct as the music sheet is moved forward in playing, said shoe being fixed against movement laterally of the direction of its said action.

8. In braking means for perforated music rolls, the combination with a spool-box provided with a rotary music r011 carrier, of a brake hung at a point above the roll to be supported by said carrier, and, below said point. having a rigid friction-shoe arranged behind the vertical plane of, but adjacent,

said carrier, in a position to act forwardly in a line below the axis of said carrier but adjacent said roll, whereby said shoe will bear on said roll with a gradually decreasing braking effect when said roll acts as a let-off roll for the perforated web.

9. In braking means for perforated music rolls, the combination of a support, a rotary music roll carrier, a brake pivotally suspended from said support and having a friction-shoe, and provided with means for urging said shoe forwardly towards and against the music roll supported on said carrier, the line of action of said shoe passing beneath the longitudinal axis of said roll.

10. In braking means for perforated music rolls, the combination, with a. rotary music roll carrier, of a pivoted brake comprising a rigid friction-shoe arranged behind the vertical plane of said carrier in a position to act forwardly upon the music roll supported by said carrier.

Signed at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts this 29th day of September, A. D. 1919.

WILLIAM A. WATSON. VAR-NEH EUSTIS. 

